Remote switches are often used in industrial systems for determining a state or condition associated with machinery. The remote switches can be in an open or closed position, and the switch position can be communicated to control electronics, usually by long interconnecting cables, which typically contain a pair of wires for each switch. One problem associated with such remote switching and sensing systems is that the wiring associated with the interconnecting cables can become damaged, resulting in an open connection, or wires that are shorted to each other and/or to earth or chassis ground. If a wire to a remote switch is broken, the switch may appear to the control circuitry as being in an open position. If a pair of wires becomes shorted, the switch may appear to the control circuitry as being in a closed position. If a wire is shorted to ground, leakage current may mislead the sensing circuit. If the wires are damaged, the control system may receive a wrong signal, and a wrong decision may be made based on the wrong signal.